Skeptics and True Believers
by withatouchofyourwords
Summary: Gale/Katniss drabble. Not even sure what to say here.


**Author's Note: The song is "Skeptics and True Believers" by The Academy Is... Please note that the one shots are done in between working on "Gale's Ending" and another project... and getting my GED (general equivalancy diploma, basically it's something Americans take to say they know what there is to know in secondary school, I'm not sure of the equivalent in foreign lands. In other news, I'm _ totally_ prepared for the Social Studies aspect, which will totally include stuff about foreign lands I know nothing of). But this is another Gale centeric story. Gale fangirling may continue. I don't own the Hunger Games, Gale, or The Academy Is... sorry to disappoint.**

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><p><em>Don't be so scared, we will not lead you on<br>Like you've been doing for weeks.  
>You're selfish, and I'm sorry<br>When I'm gone, you'll be going no where fast, no where fast, no where fast._

Gale probably couldn't ever understand why Katniss had let him believe that he ever had a chance. He never had led Katniss on, never once lied to her... but every kiss he knew now was a lie. Every kiss was her trying to act as if he ever stood a fighting chance. It had slowly became all about her, nothing he did was ever good enough for her. He kept wondering why she bothered with him if she was just gonna rip his heart out. Why did she bother to hurt him?

He thought they were best friends, and she treated him like crap. The kisses that she gave him just because he was in pain... and if he was honest, he would've preferred if she never bothered to kiss him at all. All it did was make him feel worst when the inevitable happened. He was both angry and upset and hurt. Of course, Gale figured he would always be the jerk, the one who was at fault.

_Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?_  
><em>Cause I wouldn't believe you if you said the same to me,<em>  
><em>Near death, last breath, and barely hanging on.<em>  
><em>Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?<em>

Gale had stopped needing Katniss to depend on, stop needing her because needing her would be like saying he couldn't live without her. And he refused to sink that low. He could survive without her. Could she say the same about him? Obviously, since she was with Peeta. His anger at Peeta was because of when he had tried to strangle. All he knew was that Peeta had the girl he wanted. It was over. He hadn't gotten the girl. He was a war hero, but that meant little. It just meant more girls that weren't Katniss wanted him. Each of them just wanted a chance to say they had dated a war hero.

He noticed the way they looked at him. Sometimes he flirted with them, but never let himself get close to them, never let them see his broken heart, never let them have the chance to fix his heart. He hated that no matter what, he felt dirty. He really didn't know how to describe the feeling other than that, and even that wasn't the right word. It was wrong without Katniss, as if he had cut his half his heart out, lost half his mind. There was a part of him missing, and nothing could replace it, ever. It was hard to find the will to live when someone you loved was stabbing you.

Each cut was lethal. More like a gun shot. No matter how much one lied to themselves, you can't survive it. And it was agony just waiting for death to take him. Take him and let him be happy in whatever was next.

_Don't be so scared to take a second for reflection,_  
><em>To take a leave of absence to see what you're made of<em>  
><em>So I'm selfish and you're sorry<em>  
><em>When I'm gone you'll be going no where fast<em>  
><em>So who's selfish and who's sorry?<em>

Katniss had been selfish. It was unfair to say, since he had been selfish. He was sorry for what he had done to Katniss, but the true question was if Katniss was sorry for what she had done to him. He was done with it. He was done with bullshit, and he was sick of hearing it from Katniss. He didn't know how he stood her anymore. Looking back, her flaws were more obvious... and each time she burned him, it left him desperate for more. What kind of sick masochistic lets someone hurt them that badly? Of course, during the war, he didn't think much of Katniss's actions... or her needs.

He was too busy burning his bridges to save lives. He cared more for the majority of people than his heart... and it was like a soldier coming home after a year to find his wife pregnant with someone else's child. Of course, there was a difference. He never had her.

Never once was she his.

_Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?_  
><em>Cause I wouldn't believe you if you said the same to me,<em>  
><em>Near death, last breath, and barely hanging on.<em>  
><em>Would you believe me If I said I didn't need you?<em>

If there was anything Katniss wanted back more than anything, it was the simple, easy going friendship with Gale. Before he kissed her, before she knew he was in love with her and that had ruined everything. She couldn't be around him without him getting angry easily about Peeta, without hearing about his hatred for the Capitol. She knew his firey, rebel spirit was always there... but the war made it real. She would have tried to love him, if it wasn't for Peeta, wasn't for the fact that he brought up kissing other girls... and that's when she snapped.

She always knew Gale was attractive and that other girls had been hanging all over him. She just assumed that Gale would be loyal to her. It was only years later that she realized how selfish she had been to act that way about Gale having kissed other girls. Was Gale supposed to wait around until he realized his feelings when he was a fourteen year old boy with hormones running wild and desperately needing a release from having the world on his shoulders? He was a boy, and everyone knows that people have certain needs, especially horny fourteen year old boys who were already gorgeous.

He didn't know that he was in love with her, and if she was fair, she spent some time kissing another boy as well. How was it fair that she could go around kissing another guy, even so far as "pretending" to be in love with him whereas Gale never really "dated". She hadn't noticed the pattern, hadn't noticed that Gale had broken a few hearts around her school. She supposed she shouldn't have been so shocked that Gale would date.

_Someone somewhere said somethings that may have sparked some sympathy,_  
><em>But don't believe, don't believe a word you heard about me.<em>

Sympathy seems to be the main reason for Katniss's letters to him. Each of them found their way into the nearest trash bin. He was showing her exactly how he felt about her damn sympathy. She could keep her sorries, keep her sympathy, keep it all because he wasn't having anymore bullshit from her. He was done with bullshit. He'd been through a war for her, did his best as a soldier to keep her safe. Once again, his anger got the best of him and he broke another table. This time he actually picked the phone when it rang.

"You gave up on me," said the accusing voice. The voice he'd know anywhere.

_Don't be so scared, it's harder for me. Don't be so scared._  
><em>Don't be so scared, it's harder for me.<em>  
><em>Don't be so scared, it's harder for me.<em>  
><em>Don't be so scared, it's harder for me. Don't be so scared.<em>

Before he knew it, he was full of anger and rage at Katniss for calling him just to accuse him more of things that he had done. Sure, this time he was guilty of it. "What else was I supposed to do, Catnip? You were angry at me for Prim. I had to leave."

Katniss sounded pissed. "You weren't supposed to give up! You're the soldier, you never gave up! And now here you are, giving up on our friendship!"

He punched the wall, unable to think beyond rage. How _dare_ she just call him, call him to make him feel more like a shit bag? He bit his lip, trying to pull his anger back, knowing it'd get him no where. "You gave up first. You started this by accusing me of killing Prim. You know me. Prim's death hit me harder than anything... and you accused me of it. Do you have _any_ idea what it's like to do your best to keep you and your family alive and well only to find that Prim died? I asked you to shoot me, and you did nothing!"

Katniss was actually crying now. _Good_, he thought. He wanted her to cry, wanted her to feel just as bad as he did. It was the first time he ever wanted Katniss to cry, and it felt wrong. He felt like comforting her, but held his ground. She had Peeta for that now. "I'm so sorry, Gale. I should've never accused you. I wasn't thinking... wasn't thinking of you. I saw a hardened soldier... who was unfeeling... but... but you're not."

_Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?_  
><em>Cause I wouldn't believe you if you said the same to me,<em>  
><em>Near death, last breath, and barely hanging on.<em>  
><em>Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?<em>

Gale snorted. That was the weakest apology he had ever heard. She thought _he_ was unfeeling? How about all the times she had decided to kiss Peeta in front of him, kiss him as if she hadn't done the same with him? "You sure as hell have a lot of things to apologize for... and I'm done apologizing for the things I've done."

Katniss let another sob. It was all wrong, it didn't feel right but at the same time, Gale knew nothing between them would ever feel right again. "I'm so sorry. Gale... I need you back. I shouldn't have ever let you go."

That was all it took to spark some hope back into Gale, make him feel so much better about himself again. "You should've thought about that some time ago, Catnip. But you're lucky. I'm a very forgiving man."

_Someone somewhere said somethings that may have sparked some sympathy,_  
><em>But don't believe, don't believe a word you heard.<em>

Gale didn't know why he agreed to meet a married woman, why he agreed that meeting her for coffee would be a good idea. He rubbed the back of his neck when he saw Katniss, looking as beautiful as ever. However, he couldn't help but have his eyes fall on her right hand... which was surprisingly bare. Where was her ring? And why did she look so sad? Her face lit up the minute she saw him, and he felt guilty. He made her cry and here she was, ecstatic to see him. "Where's your husband?"

Katniss sighed, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. She looked up at his eyes, and bit her lip. "He's gone. He... he left."

Gale frowned. This didn't make any sense. Why on Earth would Peeta leave? They seemed to be one... and Gale found himself sitting down, his chair pulled up next to her, an arm around her. "What happened, Catnip?"

Katniss sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. She hated crying, she hated appearing weak, but Gale was the one person who she could be herself around. That hadn't change, that was still the same. It could never go away. "I needed you more... and I don't think he was happy with that. He never could understand what was going on in my head... and it sort of took its toll."

Gale pulled her close. "Do you wanna go back to my place, then?"

_Would you believe me if I said I didn't need you?_  
><em>Cause I wouldn't believe you, wouldn't believe you now.<em>

Gale never believed that Katniss could have ever leaned on him again. However, here she was, back in his arms.


End file.
